SANTO DOMINGO.- Fuel transport from the Dominican Petroleum Refinery was still halted Friday morning and only the tanker trucks that take avtur to the airports entered, newspaper Nacional reported.

This situation is aggravated by the position of the propane gas distributors grouped in Asonadigas, who decided agaisnt retrieving propane gas (LPG) orders until the Government clarifies the request of the gasoline station owners grouped in Anadegas, who want to sell LPG in their businesses.

It reports lines of cars and people in LPG filling stations today, trying to fill their tanks after many had run out, while the fuel transport union drivers picket outside Refidomsa’s gate to keept the Chevron-Texaco trucks  from entering.

The conflict between Chevron and the truck drivers began June 9 when the multinational cancelled 25 transport contracts.

For 10 a.m. today a San Cristóbal (south) court  was to read the ruling on a restraining order filed by Chevron against the union and the petroleum transport association, where it requests RD$1 million for each day their trucks are prevented from being filled.

The head of the truckers union, Clemente Morillo said regardless of the court’s decision, they’ll continue their fight against Chevron. He said they decided to cause the stoppage because some fuel distributors are supplying the Texaco stations, and violate the Law and faced with the silence from the Industry and Commerce Ministry, which he said should prevent that irregular action.

Despite the situation Asonadigas president Raysa Rodriguez discarded a LPG shortage during the weekend, and noted that its stations will continue selling it until they run out. She said they’re not going retrieve the propane gas orders for now, until the Government clears up the doubts on Anadegas’ request.